Scoop and loader attachment for tractors



Feb. 26, 1963 J. KOII-IORST ETAL scoo AND LOADER ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 20, 1959 INVENTORS.

JOSEPH KOHOR$T VERNON JOSEPH Ira/1019.57

Feb. 26, 1963 J. KOHORST ETAL SCOOP AND LOADER ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 20, 1959 I/VVENZ'ORJ,

Feb. 26, 1963 J. KOHORST ETAL 3,079,021

scoop AND LOADER ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Fi-ld' Feb. 20, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 JOSEPH K OHORST VERNON JOSEPH kayo/var ATTORNEK Feb. 26, 1963 J. KOHORST ETAL SCOOP AND LOADER ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 20, 1959 JOJEPH KOHOPJ' T YER/Y0 JOJEPH KOHOPJ T 7% X W HT 7' OP/YEK Our invention relates to improvements in material handling and moving devices designed for attachment to a tractor and is a continuation-in-part of our co-pending application carrying the same title, Serial No. 690,028, filed October 14, 1957.

One of the important objects contemplated herein is the provision of a loader attachment for a tractor having improved means for elevating the same so as to provide maximum force in initially lifting a load.

Another object inhering herein is to provide a loader attachment of the above class having means for varying the height to which a load can be elevated.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a loader attachment for tractors that includes an improved scoop adjustable for handling a variety of materials.

Another important object is to provide an improved scoop for a tractor mounted loader that may be converted to a dump bucket operation or to a cement carrier and depositing device.

Further objects include novel stabilizing means for the scoop during its use and means for adjusting the inclination of a pusher plate used therewith.

Other objects and advantages of this invention reside in the details of construction and correlation of the various parts and will be apparent as the description proceeds.

This invention consists of novel parts and combination of parts to be hereinafter described whereby the objects set forth are attained, as pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tractor showing a preferred embodiment of our invention mounted thereon,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the scoop used with our loader attachment and having portions cut away to more fully illustrate the construction thereof,

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of our loader attachment, partly in section and partially elevated, and showing the pusher plate on the scoop in its rearward position,

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view similar to PEG. 3 showing the pusher plate in its forward position,

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view showing the scoop elevated with the broken lines indicating the dumping position of the scoop,

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the scoop converted for holding cement or the like to be delivered to a point of use and showing the pusher plate retracted,

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the device in FIG. 6 showing the pusher plate extended,

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the rear of the scoop to show the releasable lock means between the scoop and loader frame, and

FIGS. 9-11 inclusive are enlarged fragmentary side elevational views, partly in section, to indicate the adjustable positions of inclination of the pusher plate.

Referring to the drawings a tractor is designated generally by the numeral 12 and is illustrative of the type of equipment on which our invention is mounted. A frame structure for our scoop and hoist apparatus includes a pair of elongated spaced beams 14 and 16 placed astraddle the tractor and the front wheel assembly 18 so as to be pivotally secured at respective opposite sides of the tractor to the rear axle and to extend forwardly therefrom beyond the wheels 18 for pivotal attachment to the scoop assembly 20 as will later be referred to in more 3,079,021 Patented Feb. 26, 1953 detail. A transverse brace 22 connects beams 14 and 16 just rearwardly of scoop 20. A pair of scissor type hoists indicated generally at 24 are carried at the forward end of the tractor so that one is on each side thereof (FIG. 1) and supported by a dual frame means 26. Such frames are of like construction and are arranged relative to beams 14 and 16, and like parts will be given like numerals although only the frame relative to beam 14 as seen in FIG. 1 will be described in detail. Frame 26 is generally of an inverted V-shape having a rear brace 28 secured to the rearward portion of beam 14 and extending upwardly and forwardly therefrom to attachment to the outer end portion 30 of a support bar 32 disposed at the side of the tractor engine 34 and extending transversely of the longitudinal axis thereof. A front brace 36 extends from the inner end portion 38 of support 32 downwardly and forwardly to the cross bar 22. Front braces 36 on frames 26 are braced by the cross member 40 and by the longitudinal X braces 41 extending from the respective outer ends 30 of supports 32 to the opposite frame brace 36 where it is secured to bar 22. Each support 32 carries a pair of depending spaced ears 42 and at each side of the forward end of the tractor frame 44 there is a pair of upstanding spaced ear members 46.

Hoist 24 comprises an upper 48 and lower 50 arm oppositely disposed relative to each other and pivotally secured together at their respective rearward ends as shown at 52. The forward end of the upper arm 48 is pivotally attached to ears 42 on support 32 and the forward end of arm 50 is pivotally attached to ears 46 on tractor frame 44. A hydraulic jack 54 has its cylinder end 56 pivotally attached to ears 46 and its plunger rod end similarly attached to the upper arm 48 intermediate the ends thereof. Arm 48 is provided with a plurality of spaced holes 57 to which the plunger rod of jack 54 can be selectively attached for increasing or decreasing the leverage applied and also for varying the lifting height of hoist 24. Jack 54 is connected by hose 58 to the hydraulic power of the tractor 12.

Reference is now made to our improved scoop assembly 20. A floor plate is enclosed at respective sides by the upstanding integral side members 62 and 64 which have top edges inclining downwardly from rear to front and terminating in the outwardly projecting flange 66. The rear of sides 62 and 64 define upstanding supports 68 which are connected across their top edges by the plate or bar '76. The forward end of beams 14 and 16 are pivotally secured to the respective outer sides 62 and 64 of scoop 20 (FIG. 2) so that no bolts or pins project inwardly within the confines of the scoop. This is accomplished by securing a plate 72 to the outer side of the scoop, said plate being turned out and back to form a U bracket 74. The forward ends of beams 14 and 16 are positioned in said respective brackets 74 and a pin 76 passed through bracket 74, the beam end and seats in plate 72. Spaced ears 78 are provided on bracket 74 between which one end of pin 76 rests and another pin 80 locks pin 76 to ears 78. In this way pin 76 cannot be dislodged and beams 14 and 16 are effectively pivotally connected to the scoop. Scoop floor 60 is reinforced against warping and buckling by the depending spaced ribs or bars 82 to which is attached a bottom 84 that tapers upwardly in both a forwardly and rearwardly direction to plate 69 as shown.

On floor plate 66 we have secured a plurality of spaced parallel square tubing members 36 extending from front to rear and mounted therein are the respective tines 88 that project forwardly of the scoop as shown in FIG. 4. Tines are secured at their rearward ends to floor 60 by bolts 9%? through tubing 86. A floor extension plate 92 (FIG. 4) has sides 4 and 96 provided with flanges 98 complementary in shape with flanges 66 on sides 62 and 64 and designed to abut against and be secured thereto by bolts 161i. Flanges 66 and 98 are also braced as shown at 162. Sides 94 and 96 also include integral rearwardly extending arms 1114 and 136 that rest flush on the top edge of the respective scoop sides 62 and 64 and are secured at their rearward end to the respective supports 68 by bolts 103. Extension plate 92 is also provided with a plurality of spaced parallel square tubing members 110 closed-in scoop for handling free flowing grain and the like. Such extension unit is removable so that the tines 88 will project a substantial distance from floor plate 69 for use with such materials as hay, manure, and the like where more pentration of the tines is required and a closed scoop is not essential. To aid in discharging a load from the scoop assembly,

we have provided means for forcibly moving out or dumping material received in the scoop. Such means includes an upstanding pusher plate 114 positioned within the scoop for movement toward and away from the free ends of tines 88 as will later appear. Plate 114 has a forwardly inclined flange portion 116 along its upper edge and a similar flange 118 atthe bottom. The bottom of flange 118 is notched 121) as required to provide clearance over the tubing 86 and 116 when the same is moved and otherwise is adapted to effect a scraping action across the floor of the scoop. Such movement is provided by various "linkage under hydraulic power and includes a shaft 122 rotatably mounted transversely of beams 14 and 16 to depending bearing members 124 on said respective beams and at a point intermediate tractor wheels 18 and the scoop 20. Shaft 122 projects beyond beam 14 (FIG. 1) and carries an integral arm or lever 126 disposed per pendicularly thereto. A two Way acting hydraulic jack 123 has one end of the cylinder 139 pivotally attached to a bearing member 132 on beam 14 and the outer end of the cylinder rod 134pivotally attached to lever 126. Fluid lines 136 and 138 connect cylinder 130 to hydraulic power on the tractor in a well known manner. Thus operation of jack 128 will turn shaft 122 about its longitudinal axis. On shaft 122 in parallel spaced relationship we have rigidly mounted a pair of arms 140 that project perpendicularly therefrom and when beams 14 and 16 are in lowered position such arms 14d extend generally rearwardly and upwardly from shaft 122 as shown in FIG. 1.

Arms 140 terminate at their upper ends in a hook member 142 to which there is pivotally secured one end of a rigid link arm 144 that is telescopically journalled in an elongated arm extension 146, said arm 146 being pivotally secured at its outer end to an ear 147 on the lower rear side of the pusher plate 114. Arms 144 and 146 are normally held against movement relative to each other by a transverse pin 148 and a plurality of spaced holes 154 are provided in arm 144 so that the relative combined length of arms 144 and 146 can be adjusted as will later appear. Thus as shaft 122 is rotated, arms 14:) move forwardly to push plate 114 forwardly by the connecting arms 144 and 146 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. The outer ends of arms 146 are also pivotally attachable to ears 152 depending from the top cross bar 70 of the scoop (FIGS.

9-11) when a dumping action of the scoop is desired as shown in FIG. and as will be referred to later. For this purpose it may be necessary to adjust the combined length of arms 144- and 146 as described.

On the inner side of each rear scoop support 68 (FIGS. 9-11) there is an elongated sleeve 154 having a depending tapered flange 156 which is pivotally attached to support 68 by a pin, bolt or the like 158. For this purpose, flange 156 is provided with a plurality of vertically spaced holes 160 and support 68 is similarly provided with spaced holes 162, the spacing of which is closer than for holes 161 This permits holes 1611 and 1:62 to be registered in diiferent combinations of whole and half hole adjustments whereby sleeve 154 can be attached to support 68 by pin 158 so as to adjust the inclination of plate 114 as shown. An elongated guide bar or arm 164 is rigidly secured to the rear side of plate 114 at each respective side thereof and extends therefrom slidably through the respective sleeves 154 where their rearward free ends are free from attachment to any other part. In this way when plate 114 is moved in a push off action (FIG. 4) sleeve members 154 serve to guide and stabilize plate 114 against any lateral twisting. To hold sleeves 154 against free pivotal movement relative to supports 63 a spring means 166 connects at one end to an upstanding lip 168 on sleeve 154 and at the other end to an eye bolt 1'71) attached to bar '71 This permits sufficient pivotal action of sleeve 154 to prevent binding of the guide bar 164 as it moves with the pusher plate 114 and also acts on the guide bars so as to urge the bottom edge of pusher plate portion 118 into contact with the scoop floor.

To hold the scoop assembly 20 against pivotal movement relative to beams 14 and 16 during a straight push off operation of plate 114, a bolt and nut means 172 (FIGS. 2 and 8) connects the outer side of each support 63 to the respective beams 14 and 16. Means 172 comprises a U bracket 174 open at the rear on support 68 and a bolt 176 with a clevis end 178 pivotally attached to an ear 180 on the respective beams 14 and 16. Bolt 176 is releasably engageable with bracket 174 by the lock bolts 182.

To use scoop 211 with the push oif operation of plate 114 bolt means 172 is attached to bracket 174 and floor plate 61 may be used with or without extension plate 92 as required. Plate 114 is then moved by rotation of shaft 122 as described and in the rearward movement of plate 114 is will be noted that the bottom edge is turned back and up to provide a curved runner means 184 for easily riding over the forward edge of tubing 86. The efliciency of scoop 21) has been increased by providing a three sided box assembly 186 (FIGS. 6 and 7) which is attached to the forward side of plate 114 so that such plate serves as the fourth box side and floor plates 60 and 92 can serve as the bottom. This makes it possible to load the box with cement, for example, which can be deposited in any desired place or form. To do this, scoop 20 is positioned as desired and the forward movement of plate 114 will move the contents of the box forwardly until it spills over the tines 88 as the front of the box goes past this point.

Another improvement in scoop 20 is its adaptability as a dump bucket. This is accomplished by releasing bolt means 172 from bracket 174 (FIG. 8) and connecting arms 146 to the ears 152 on cross bar 70 at the top of the scoop. Also for this purpose, guide bars 164 are held against movement relative to sleeves 154 by a pin 188 which passes through hole 189 in the guide bar. Such pin 188 is attached by a chain 190 to lip 168 on each sleeve 154 so that it will be readily available. In this position, rotation of shaft 122 as described tilts assembly 20 as shown in FIG. 5 so as to dump the contents thereof. Since plate 114 and guide bars 164 also tilt in this operation, pin 188 secures them to the sleeves 154 so they cannot slide forwardly.

Beams 14 and 16 are elevated by the hoist assemblies 24 and the location of such hoist and the direction of the lifting force applied is important in obtaining the greatest efficiency from the applied force. The scoop 20 will rise upwardly and rearwardly and the force of the jack 54 is applied in the same relative direction with the hoist arms rising and moving rearwardly as force is applied. By this arrangement, the hoists 24 move with the scoop and in the same direction rather than against the scoop as is frequently illustrated by similar devices. The net result is increased lifting power for any given power applied A and makes it possible to obtain a satisfactory lifting means for the required purposes in a device of this type with a less powerful and less expensive hoist assembly.

It is submitted that the invention shown and described is aptly suited to achieve the purposes intended and is characterized by a combination of highly useful and mutually cooperating elements that combine their respective and proportionate functions in accomplishing the objects sought to be obtained.

It will be understood that the phraseology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not for limitation and that modifications and changes in the construction and arrangement of this invention can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit and purpose thereof. It is thus intended to cover by the claims, any modified forms of structure or mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

We claim:

1. A scoop, comprising a floor plate, oppositely disposed sides integral therewith, a plurality of spaced parallel tube members on said floor plate, a time in each tube secured to one end of said floor and projecting from the other end thereof, a pusher plate within said scoop slidably disposed relative to said floor plate, tube members and tines, a sleeve on each respective scoop side, a guide bar slidably disposed in each respective sleeve and respectively secured at one end to said pusher plate, the other ends of said guide bars being free ends, and lock means on said sleeves releasably engageable with said respective guide bars to prevent the movement of said free ends through said sleeves at times.

2. In a material handling device, a scoop, a pusher plate slidably disposed within said scoop, a sleeve, means pivotally attaching said sleeve to said scoop at selective angular positions relative thereto, a guide bar slidably disposed in said sleeve and secured at one end to said pusher plate, the other end of said guide bar being free from attachment to any part, means connected to said pusher plate and adapted for attachment to a source of power for moving the same relative to said scoop, and means permitting only limited pivotal movement of said sleeve.

3. In a material handling device, a scoop, a generally vertically arranged pusher plate slidably disposed within said scoop, a sleeve on said scoop, a guide bar slidably disposed in said sleeve and secured at one end to said pusher plate intermediate the top and bottom thereof, the other end of said guide bar being free from attachment to any part, means to secure said sleeve to said scoop in selective angular positions relative thereto whereby the inclination of said pusher plate relative to said scoop can be varied, and means connected to said pusher plate and adapted for attachment to a source of power for moving the same relative to said scoop.

4. In a material handling device, a scoop, a pusher plate slidably disposed within said scoop, a sleeve on said scoop, a guide bar slidably disposed in said sleeve and secured at one end to said pusher plate, the other end of said guide bar being free from attachment to any part, means connected to said pusher plate and adapted for attachment to a source of power for moving the same relative to said scoop, and lock means on said sleeve releasably engageable with said guide bar to prevent the movement of the free end of said guide bar through said sleeve at times.

5. In a material handling device, a scoop, a floor plate on said scoop, a pusher plate slidably disposed within said scoop, a sleeve on said scoop, a guide bar slidably disposed in said sleeve and secured at one end to said pusher plate, the other end of said guide bar being free from attachment to any part, a three sided box portion detachably connectible to said pusher plate so that said pusher plate forms the fourth box side and said floor plate serves as the bottom therefor, and means connected to said pusher plate and adapted for attachment to a source of power for moving the same relative to said scoop whereby the box sides and any contents therein move relative to said floor plate and said contents will be dropped therefrom over the edge of said floor plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 989,444 Thomas Apr. 11, 1911 2,371,661 Wilms Mar. 20, 1945 2,417,560 McNamara Mar. 18, 1947 2,429,717 Gordon Oct. 28, 1947 2,446,827 Hall Aug. 10, 1948 2,496,039 Crawford Jan. 31, 1950 2,515,334 Buye July 18, 1950 2,590,355 Turner et al. Mar. 25, 1952 2,612,280 Stueland Sept. 30, 1952 2,619,242 Crampton Nov. 25, 1952 2,670,862 Siebring Mar. 2, 1954 2,778,294 Ullox Jan. 22, 1957 2,832,487 Oster et a1. Apr. 29, 1958 

1. A SCOOP, COMPRISING A FLOOR PLATE, OPPOSITELY DISPOSED SIDES INTEGRAL THEREWITH, A PLURALITY OF SPACED PARALLEL TUBE MEMBERS ON SAID FLOOR PLATE, A TINE IN EACH TUBE SECURED TO ONE END OF SAID FLOOR AND PROJECTING FROM THE OTHER END THEREOF, A PUSHER PLATE WITHIN SAID SCOOP SLIDABLY DISPOSED RELATIVE TO SAID FLOOR PLATE, TUBE MEMBERS AND TINES, A SLEEVE ON EACH RESPECTIVE SCOOP SIDE, A GUIDE BAR SLIDABLY DISPOSED IN EACH RESPECTIVE SLEEVE AND RESPECTIVELY SECURED AT ONE END TO SAID PUSHER PLATE, THE OTHER ENDS OF SAID GUIDE BARS BEING FREE ENDS, AND LOCK MEANS ON SAID SLEEVES RELEASABLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID RESPECTIVE GUIDE BARS TO PREVENT THE MOVEMENT OF SAID FREE ENDS THROUGH SAID SLEEVES AT TIMES. 